Money, Love & Bloody Murder
by Captain Boo Bear
Summary: Money replaces magic AU. Sirius is expected to continue his family line with a suitable girl; Remus is a new scholarship student with a dark past and a dangerous secret; James... is still stalking Lily. SBRL/RLSB. UNDER CONSTRUCTION
1. one

**Money, Love and Bloody Murder**

_by the "artist" formerly known as bel_unleashed for some reason_

**AU: **Money and prestige replace magic; by this system everyone will have the same status equivalents

**Summary: **Sirius is expected to continue his family line with a suitable girl; Remus is a new scholarship student with a dark past and a dangerous secret; James... is still stalking Lily.

**Starts: **MWPPfifth year (15-16)

**Pairing: **SBRL all the way. And some JPLE, just because of the era

* * *

**Chapter One**

"In a secluded area of the Scottish countryside, surrounded by the kind of crystalline waters and rolling hills seen only in out-dated British magazines for horse fanatics, there is a decadently refurbished castle, its turrets valiantly penetrating the virgin skies like... wait... forget that..."

The director sighed. "_Cut_!" he demanded irritably, trying and failing to conceal his desperation. The students passing the scene bursting out into giggles didn't really help.

"I'll have to use that one sometime," one of them laughed, reaching up a lanky arm to ruffle his already unkempt hair. "Penetrating... that's pure _gold_."

"Give it up, James," his companion said boredly, with a haughty toss of his long black hair. "Evans will never go for it."

"You don't know that," James argued. "Besides, shouldn't _you _be doing something like that?"

"What? Relentlessly stalking some bitch just to get kneed in the groin several times a day?"

"It's not _sev_– that's not what I mean!"

"_Oh_," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes now. "_You_ mean charming the pants off some disgustingly _suitable_ girl, sticking a couple of babies in her, and then spending as little time with them as possible."

James held up his hands in mock-defeat. "Hey, I didn't say it." He turned back to stare at the camera crew. "Why does Veruca Swine need an ad, anyway?"

Veruca Swine Grammar School was the most prestigious boarding school in Britain. Only the rich and powerful could afford to attend – and that was how elite families like Sirius' liked it.

Sirius shrugged indifferently. "I think it's for scholarship applications. I heard my parents complaining about it."

James groaned inwardly. He had been trying to skirt _away _from the topic of Sirius' family.

"Race you to the lake?" he suggested weakly, feigning bravado.

"Don't you mean the '_crystalline waters_'?"

Youthful laughter permeated the school grounds as the two teens tore down the valley, arms outstretched in a reminder of childish dreams of soaring free.

"See, Remus; don't they look happy?" a woman said genially, gesturing towards the two boys. Remus watched as one of them crashed headlong into a tree, to the immense amusement of the other.

"Ecstatic," he replied distractedly. "Mum, I'm not sure about this... You know how people are."

"The headmaster assured us that your – _private problems _– would be kept well under wraps," his mother said, her wide beam unfaltering. "You have nothing to worry about, Rem."

Remus saw the artificial smile, and looked away.

* * *

Veruca Swine was separated into four distinct houses. Where each student would go was decided by the Head of Academy Therapists (H.A.T.), based on where she thought they would fit best, and the ideals embodied by each of the school's founders. H.A.T. _did_ have a name, but nobody really bothered with it, because that would mean they knew her; to know her meant going to see her; to see her meant to be_ seeing a psychologist_.

(And nobody wanted anybody else to think that.)

Remus had been waiting for what seemed like an age, when the verdict finally arrived. His parents returned with an austere-looking, bespectacled woman, her hair pulled back somewhat severely. Her stern face softened into a smile when she saw Remus.

"This is Dr McGonagall, honey," his mother said, seeming genuinely happy for once, "the deputy headmistress, and head of your new house."

McGonagall nodded sharply. "You've been sorted into Gryffindor," she said, voice underlined with unexpected warmth. "It is a noble house, and I'm sure it will be fitting for you. If you would like a moment?"

Remus blinked, before realising what she meant. Each parent gave a mechanic, uniform hug before sending him on his way, and going theirs.

"You were our first successful scholarship applicant," McGonagall informed him as they walked briskly through the halls. "As such, you may feel great pressure to maintain a certain standard – this is, to a degree, expected of you. However running yourself into the ground will do no good. Exploring the forests bordering the grounds is expressly forbidden, as are _practical jokes_ of all kinds." Her nostrils flared white at this statement. "You will commence lessons next week. The staff have been informed of your specific requirements, and will be mindful of any provisions they entail."

Remus pulled at his crisp white shirt. "Uh, don't – I mean, I don't want to be any –"

"Nonsense," McGonagall cut across his stuttering, which Remus could only be thankful for. She turned to look at Remus, and he saw compassion in her eyes.

"We don't think any less of you, Mr Lupin," she said kindly, "and we have no problem with anything letting you be as comfortable as everyone at Veruca Swine."

Remus couldn't help but return the smile, this time.

* * *

**a/n **This chapter occurs before lessons on Friday; Remus is being given the weekend to settle in.

If you think it's weird that there are so many doctors, well... private schools are like that. It's a prestige thing.

Pureblood = old money (Sirius)

Blood-traitor = same, but don't care (James)

Muggle-born = nouveau riche (Lily)

Half blood = either one parent is, one isn't, or other varied family history (Remus is still classified as this; he was born to this status, but his parents blew a lot of the money – you'll find out why later)

Muggle = all lower classes


	2. two

**Chapter Two**

_Sirius' Friday_

_8:45 – Applied Mathematics_

Sirius hated maths. Maths was _boring._ And the fact that he was rather terrible at it wasn't at all related; or _correlated_, as McGonagall was saying. And something about some guy called Pearson.

Sirius decided he hated Pearson, too.

_9:40 – International Studies_

Sirius was bored. It wasn't so much that internash was _bad_, per se; more that their teacher was over-enthusiastic to the point of lengthy, impassioned tirades about the plight of every oppressed people in the world – and there are _a lot _of oppressed peoples.

_10:35 – Break_

Sirius caught his reflection in the back of his spoon and decided he really didn't like his face. So he told James so.

"Are you bloody _mental_?" James exclaimed. "Do you even _know _how many girls want you?"

Sirius felt that James was missing the point somewhat. So he told him so.

"Isn't that the whole point of being good-looking though?"

Sirius just shook his head. He looked far too much like his mother to like his face.

But he didn't really feel the need to tell James that.

_10_:_55 – Biology_

Sirius only _wished_ he could be bored in bio. To say that Dr Sprout preferred a "hands-on" teaching experience would be a gross understatement. She specialised in exotic plants from her many travels, most of which seemed to want nothing more than to digest each and every one of them. Not for the first time, Sirius hoped that Sprout would go to a barren, lifeless desert for her next holiday.

_11:50 – Chemistry_

Sirius was bored. And this time it really did have nothing to do with being terrible, because he was usually quite adept at chemistry (except for the maths-y parts, which, in his opinion, were completely irrelevant and stupid). In this case, however, his talent only increased the boredom, and he amused himself by watching James squirm as he struggled to understand any of what Dr Slughorn was saying.

(It served him right for being good at maths.)

_12:45 – Lunch_

James still didn't understand the face thing. Sirius suspected he needed other friends. James then abandoned him to chase Lily Evans. Suspicion confirmed.

_1:45 – Double English_

Bored again. So he lost some house points for complaining that he already knew English, then protested the punishment by setting Mr Flitwick's hat on fire. For his efforts he received a week of detention, and several phone numbers.

_3:35 – School End_

Sirius decided to alleviate his lingering boredom by taking one of the looser phone number girls for a not-too-quick quickie in an abandoned classroom. Both left extremely satisfied.

His typical day complete, Sirius met up with James and together they returned to their wonderfully chaotic dorm.

And typicality was thrown out the window.

"Why is there another bed in our room?" James grumbled loudly. Sirius waded through their horizontal closet and observed the new set up.

"Apparently some kid called Lupin is staying here," he informed James offhandedly.

James was nonplussed by this spontaneous discovery. "How did you –"

Sirius wordlessly held up a travelling case, upon which peeling letters read '_R. J. Lupin_'.

They both snapped their heads around as the door to the bathroom opened. An average sort of boy stood in the threshold, his sharp eyes looking at them with partially-disguised fear.

"Hey," Sirius greeted lightly. He hated awkward situations – unless, of course, he had created them.

"Hi," the boy said impassively, eyeing the case Sirius was still holding. He quickly put it down.

James stepped forward. "New student, eh?" he said sociably. "So what does the R stand for?"

"Remus," was the quiet reply.

James snickered. "That's nearly as bad as this guy's." He gestured to Sirius. "Naming your kids after stars..."

He keeled over then, still laughing merrily, though partly to compensate for the tenseness in the air. Remus was looking quite bewildered at this point. Sirius rolled his eyes, letting them slide back to their new acquaintance. "That's James," he explained matter-of-factly. "He's a complete prat, of course. I'm Sirius."

Remus nodded, his lips curling slightly. He recognised his dorm-mates as the same pupils he'd seen mucking around earlier. Up close the long-haired boy was quite striking, but something of a pretty-boy.

"He's not going to die from that, is he?" Remus joked weakly, gazing pointedly at James.

Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "Doubt it. Though if those are his socks down there, maybe..."

"I heard that," came James' muffled voice, finally raising his head in a glare.

"It seems James' ghastly socks have given birth to some sort of deformed creature," said Sirius, with the air of one remarking upon the weather. He did that a lot, it seemed.

"How terrible," said Remus, his words faltering slightly from half-suppressed laughter. He offered a narrow hand to the boy on the floor, vaguely aware of Sirius still staring at him.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Sirius asked later, gauging his friend's response.

"He's nice enough, sure, but he seems a little weird, don't you reckon?" James replied, casually tossing a stray orange from hand to hand.

"Normal is overrated," said Sirius. It was his life maxim.

"Yeah, but I mean he's kinda weirdly polite, and did you see all those old books he was carting in?" He paused for a second, scratching his chin. "Hey; he must be the scholarship student!"

Sirius mused on this for a moment, then disregarded it. "Whatever. I like him."

James shrugged. "Okay, whatever."

And as simple and stupid as teenage conversations sound (especially those involving boys playing with their food), this one would change Remus Lupin's life forever.

* * *

**a/n **Peter is still on holiday at this point, by the way (semester 2 just started, remember). Never got a chance to bring it up.

History of Magic / History/ Binn

Potions / Chemistry/ Slughorn

Transfiguration / Maths / McGonagall

Charms / English / Flitwick

Herbology / Biology/ Sprout

Astronomy / Geography / Sinistra's predecessor

Divination / Drama / Trelawney's predecessor

Ancient Runes / French /

Arithmancy / Psychology / Vector

Muggle Studies / International Studies

Music

Art


	3. three

**Chapter Three**

Remus awoke somewhere he had never awoken before. It was dark, _too dark_, and the covers were _tootoo tight_, and red, deep red; he couldn't _get out_... "It's just your new dorm room," he muttered to himself. "Calm down... please..." He let out a shaky breath; he could hear the blood pumping madly, willing him to _run, run away_...

"Bad dream?"

Remus swallowed, frantically looking for the source of the unexpected voice. "W-what? Who..."

He turned, and there on his left was Sirius Black, an uncharacteristic look of concern gracing his fine-boned features. He tilted his inky head to one side, puppy-like. "That bad, huh?"

"Um. No. Yes. But, it's nothing..."

He could feel those grey eyes on him still. It did nothing to calm his nerves.

"Okay," Sirius said quietly – clearly not believing his answer, but accepting it all the same.

It was only once they had showered and dressed in silence, and were on their way to breakfast with a dozing James in tow, that Remus wondered why Sirius had woken up before him.

"Evans!" James exclaimed as soon as they entered the Great Hall (yes, Veruca Swine had one of those). Remus looked up to see he was addressing a pretty redhead conversing with a round-shouldered boy with black hair. At the greeting the girl turned, her startlingly green eyes flashing with irritation when she saw James. She grabbed her companion's wrist and stalked off.

"Who was that?" Remus murmured to Sirius.

"Lily Evans," Sirius said with a smirk. "Prefect, babe, and eternal crusher of James' heart."

James threw a dirty look at him. "It is not _funny_."

"It's hilarious," Sirius contradicted.

"She's in complete denial about her obvious feelings for me –"

"Yeah, _she's_ the one in denial."

"Why do I even bother talking to you?"

"Because Evans won't give you the time of day?"

"She's just shy!"

"You're right James; her regular attacks on your groin are just awkward attempts at foreplay."

James' eyes shone hopefully. "You think?"

* * *

By Sunday, Remus had finished moving in – thanks in no small part to his new roommates. It was good timing on their part, because the dorm was about to get crowded.

"Peter Pettigrew," Sirius had explained. "Not particularly bright... or interesting..."

"Sirius," James had chided, "quit it. He's not that bad."

"You're just saying that because he practically worships the ground you walk on."

This had, of course, spiralled into another pseudo-argument (which Remus was quickly finding an almost hourly event), and Remus had never found out what Peter was actually like. From what Sirius _had _disclosed, however, he was hoping for someone studious and shy – that way they could at least balance out the others.

James and Sirius, he had discovered, were exceptionally popular among the student body. James was Gryffindor's star soccer player, Sirius practically had his own line of pin-ups, and together they were a teacher's worst nightmare. So naturally everyone else loved them.

Where did Peter fit into that?

"Who are you?"

Remus glanced up to see a stocky, fair-haired boy with a pointy nose looking questioningly at him.

"This is Remus, Pete," Sirius said lazily. "New roommate."

"_Oh_." Peter smiled awkwardly at him.

Peter was pleasant enough, but it promptly became clear that Sirius' comments hadn't been that far off the mark. Altogether, Remus doubted he would have much in common with the boy – yet unexpectedly it seemed he and Sirius did. Remus was glad; he hadn't had many friends before, and the ones he'd had were quickly lost. But he knew it wouldn't take long for that to happen again. He just had too many idiosyncrasies to be likable in the long term – it was something he had accepted a long time ago.

* * *

Remus had a hard time calming himself down come Monday morning. Fortunately Remus and Sirius had almost every class together – the only difference was that Remus did French instead of internash – so he wasn't facing it alone. Surveying their class for first period psychology, Remus inquired, "James doesn't do psych?"

Sirius snorted. "No. Moron chose drama. The teacher's completely trashed half the week."

Remus raised one eyebrow – something Sirius had always wanted to do, but had never been able to. "I'd have thought you would love a class like that."

Sirius tugged at a glossy lock. "Sure, they never do any work, but the price is listening to her."

Dr Vector entered the classroom, interrupting their conversation.

"... Now we move on to predicting others' behaviour through our psychological findings. Observation on the human condition..."

This was about where Sirius tuned out.

He let his eyes wander around the room, noting that Lily's friend (and James' rival) Snape was smarming it up as usual... Mary McDonald's breasts had grown _again_... Zachary Goldstein was taking far too much interest in them for someone with a girlfriend – which mystified him really; he was more about faces than tits, and Mary's was nothing special. Hell, _Remus _was probably prettier than her. Better legs, too, he ruminated, surveying him out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't noticed that before...

Sirius blinked himself out of his reverie. Interesting, he thought.

* * *

**a/n: **

There's an art teacher at my school like the drama teacher. Short term memory of a gold fish.

_Thanks to_: **marauders o.o**, **Padfoot's Blondie**, **Shout in a Whisper**, **Joelle8** (deal), **Leelu's skittles** (your review made me laugh :D) for reviewing ch2.


	4. four

**Chapter Four**

Despite his misgivings, Remus found his first week of school passed dizzyingly fast, and by Saturday he was well overdue for (what he considered) a well-earned sleep-in.

Everyone else, it seemed, had other plans, communicated to him through the eloquence of a pillow being thrown into his hapless face.

"Come on, Remus, you're going to be late!" he heard James' voice calling. Remus cursed inwardly – he'd been certain it was a Saturday – but nonetheless tripped out of bed and into the shower, where he completed his assigned breathing exercises to save time. It was only once they started dressing that he realised something was different.

"Why're you wearing the uniform, Rem?" Sirius asked, donning his own battered jeans and a noticeably well-loved _Zeppelin _tee-shirt.

Remus stared at him for a moment, then, groaning, flopped bonelessly onto the bed.

"What's wrong with you?" said James, poking him with a piece of toast he'd already acquired from the Great Hall.

Remus brushed buttery crumbs from his tawny brown hair. "I was so sure it was the weekend – and then it wasn't, but you…" he grumbled, to resounding laughter from his roommates. It was then he noticed James was wearing a football jersey in blazing Gryffindor colours.

"What's going on?" he asked beseechingly.

Taking pity on him, Sirius replied, "It's the school soccer match today. James is on the team."

"Oh?" Remus said interestedly, sitting up. "What position do you play?"

James made a frantic arm movement, toast still in his mouth. He yelled something unintelligible as he thundered into the hall, followed by "Lily will be so impressed!"

"Only if the ball hits you in the head and changes your personality!" Sirius retorted loudly after him, while Peter, with a squeal, dashed after their departing friend.

Remus turned to Sirius. "What position does he play?"

Sirius snorted. "Hell if I know. I hate the game." He thought for a moment. "I'm pretty sure he kicks the ball..."

"He kicks the ball?"

"Yes."

"In _soccer_? _Really_?"

"Shut up, you ponce. Sport is for brainless, overcompensating, rule-abiding prats." He paused. "And James."

Snorting, Remus queried sceptically, "You never played _any _sport?"

Sirius pondered, demonstrated by his distinctive _pondering_ face. "I played polo once."

"What happened?"

"Well, '_played_' is generous. It was more like I stole the horse and rode it through my Uncle Alphard's country estate. Same difference, really."

Remus just gawked.

"He thought it was funny," Sirius said defensively.

"So am I to understand that your entire family is as stark crazy as you?"

"No. They're much, much worse."

His tone was a dismissive one, and feeling slightly reproved, Remus dropped the subject. Instead he hastily swapped his thrown-on school pants, shirt and tie for casual wear, and joining Sirius, went down to breakfast.

* * *

Remus deeply regretted coming. It was forty minutes into the second half (they'd been too late for the first), and he'd spent the entire time trying to stop himself from bawling. He hated this atmosphere – the screaming and whistling, brightly-coloured banners everywhere, people pressing in on every side...

He began to hyperventilate.

"Are you okay?" Sirius questioned, grey eyes intense with concern. Remus swallowed nervously. Maybe he could just say he was claustrophobic? That wasn't too unusual.

But Sirius was staring at him, and that made it rather difficult to speak as it was, and the people were still everywhere, and it was loud and vivid and suffocating.

_Can't – breathe..._

Sirius saw the panic flare up further in his friend's – brown? hazel? amber? – eyes, and watched in confusion as he began to sway in his seat. He grabbed the other boy's arm, trying to steady him, trying to find the words to calm him down, but he had no idea what to say, or what was going on.

Remus felt his arm being gripped, and alarm shot through his core. "Don't – touch," he managed to pant, pulling away.

Sirius looked startled. "Remus, what...?"

_Calm down. Calm down. Deep breath. Relax..._

"Remus, talk to me."

_Don't, please. Calm down. Don't..._

"I have to go," Remus blurted out, breathlessly.

"Wait, what?"

"Have to go," he repeated frantically, jumping to his feet, squeezing through rows of complaining, brightly-clad people, and dashing away, down the stands and across the grounds. Distantly, he registered Sirius calling after him, but the voice became fainter as he fled.

"Please," Remus muttered wildly. "Please, I don't _need _you, not now, _don't._.."

An eruption of cheers cut through the grounds as James kicked the winning goal. No one heard one boy's ramblings turn to screams, or the silence that followed.

"No..."

* * *

**a/n: **Climactic endings make me laugh (I can't take myself seriously... and they're kinda ridiculous).

I so bet someone's guessed *the secret* by now. Also, I know poms call soccer football, but that will just lead to confusion.


	5. five:extra

**Chapter Five**

Remus crept back into the dormitory, his footfalls almost silent. He winced as door screeched metallically at the touch. He stopped, barely breathing, praying that nobody was awake to hear it.

"Remus?"

No such luck.

Sirius sprang up from his bed, gaze wide and frantic. Remus couldn't help but notice the boy's new position was blocking the path to his own bed.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sirius whispered, clearly concerned. "I was – Jesus Christ, what happened to your face?"

Remus cursed inwardly. The light of the full moon was pouring in through the window, illuminating his raw cuts and bruises. Sirius' silver eyes – and they were silver, he saw, under the moonlight – flared up in anger, and though he knew it wasn't directed at him, it was unnerving to behold.

"Are you being fucked around?" Sirius growled. "'Cause I swear, Remus, we can make those bastards _pay_."

"No! No, no one's bullying me... it's not that..."

"What? Then what happened?"

"Nothing... it's fine, I'm fine..."

"Yeah, everything's _fine_," Sirius sneered. "I've heard_ that_ before." His face softened. "Remus, talk to me. We haven't known each other very long, but..."

"Yeah, we haven't! So just leave me alone, alright?" Remus burst out. And before Sirius could say another word, Remus stormed past him, ripping his bed curtains closed so carelessly that the ends tore into scarlet ribbons.

He was just so sick of the colour red.

* * *

"I can't believe it happened so soon – and you were doing so well, too..."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just keep coming here, practice your breathing exercises... and maybe don't go to any more soccer matches."

"Thank you."

The woman's purple lips raised in a gentle smile, lighting up russet eyes.

"You're welcome, Remus."

* * *

"What's going on with the new kid?" James asked at morning break. Sirius gave a non-committal grunt, head still cushioned in his arms.

"Come on. He disappeared Saturday afternoon, came back last night, and then missed English. If he wants to keep his scholarship, he's going the wrong way about it."

"I don't know, okay? We've only known him a week."

"Yeah, but you –"

"Leave it. Okay?" Sirius said shortly.

"Okay, no need to bite my head off."

"You'd probably look better that way."

"Shove off."

"Maybe Evans'd go out with you if I did."

"Yeah right," a passing Lily remarked, rolling her emerald eyes. James appeared momentarily crestfallen, before spying a newspaper under Sirius.

"So what's happening in the world?" he asked lightly, never one to be bogged down by his friend's moodiness.

"Oh, you know. Politicians lying; wars being fought; some kid was brutally tortured... All in all, another swell day."

"You know, sometimes I wonder why I bother."

Their conversation (or lack thereof) was interrupted by a small, nervous cough. "Hi, guys."

James and Sirius turned to see Remus standing shiftily behind them, biting his lip anxiously.

"Hey Remus," James greeted easily, looking between the two boys. "Well, I'm gonna go track down Pete before drama, or he might get stupid ideas... like that he actually has to go to drama."

Sirius just snorted, dropping his silky-haired head back onto his arms, while Remus maladroitly placed himself in the seat that James had just vacated.

"We have psych, Sirius," he said softly. Glancing around, he saw that most of the students were already dispersing. But Sirius seemed to be in his own little angst-bubble.

"I'm sorry," Remus murmured. "I know you were just trying to help."

Sirius remained silent.

Growing somewhat annoyed now, Remus' eyes narrowed. "We all have secrets, Sirius. I know you do. So don't act like you have the right to be offended."

Grey eyes peered up at him, then Sirius emerged with a sigh. "I've never been on the other side of it before," he admitted, "been the one worrying. It's always..." He looked away for a moment, deep in thought, before turning back to face Remus. "I'll leave it alone for now," he said composedly. "But eventually, you _will_ tell me."

Remus stared into Sirius' stormy gaze and replied, "Same to you."

Exchanging quick, somewhat uncomfortable smiles, the two rose from the table and left for psych, each lost in their own contemplations. The newspaper lay abandoned, still turned to the page which proclaimed: _Child Found Murdered._

* * *

**a/n: **Now, why didn't I bet with anything quantitative?

_Thanks to: _**My Own Love Song** (none of the above), **subaru1999**, **Padfoot's Blondie** (polo is an English sport, a bit like croquet on horses. Also, 11am is indeed too early for anything involving, you know... movement), **marauders716** (cough), **Matchstick Fighter** (cough), **yayzerzz i can haz squip **(nope, have other plotlines to insert. Mwahahaha), **marauders o.o **(working on it), and **Joelle8** (oh... I guess I don't know what American football is then. Also, deal *shakes hand*) for reviewing chapters three and/or four. I forgot last time... heh ^.^'

Since this chapter is way too short: announcing the debut of the extras section. Enjoy.

* * *

**Extra: The Way We Were #1**

Veruca Swine was clamouring with noise as all over the castle, new students were thrown in rooms together and expected to get along. In Gryffindor Tower, three such students were gazing around awkwardly. Well, two were. The other one (who didn't do awkward), was staring haughtily out the window as though severely bored by their very presence.

One of the boys, bespectacled and messy-haired, decided to break the silence by announcing, "I'm James Potter!"

Which frankly seemed a bit egocentric.

"I-I'm Peter Pettigrew," said another, round-bodied and frantic. James looked expectantly at the other, who sighed.

"Sirius Black," said the bored-looking boy in a long-suffering way. James' eyebrows shot up.

"I thought all Blacks went to Slytherin?" he asked bluntly.

"Apparently not," Sirius replied frostily.

"My family's been in all of them," Peter put in eagerly. He was ignored.

"_I_ heard your family hates inta– inta..."

"Inter-class associations," Sirius interrupted, rolling his heavy-lidded eyes.

"Yeah. So?"

"So what?"

"So is it _true_?"

"Is what?"

"That –" James halted, grumbling loudly in frustration. "You know! You just said it!"

"Said what?" Sirius asked innocently, contrasting with his rather malevolent smirk. This boy was _fun _to bicker with. (His brother Regulus always called for their mother, the pansy.)

So from that day forward, James and Sirius argued all the time. Naturally by the end of the week they were the best of friends.

Guys: who knows what goes on in their minds?


	6. six

**Chapter Six**

"I read the textbook, I listen to the teacher – _why _can't I understand biology?" Remus moaned uncharacteristically.

It was a bright, balmy Friday night, and Remus had just received the results of his first diagnostic test. He was, needless to say, less than happy about the results.

"Sorry. I'm a maths guy. I stink at that side of science," James responded, shrugging apologetically.

"I... just stink," Peter confessed helplessly.

"You are rather pungent," said Sirius, entering from the adjoined bathroom. Remus quickly averted his gaze from his half-naked figure, while Sirius reclined gracefully on his bed. "What are we talking about?"

"Remus is about to fail bio," James recapped bluntly. "Speaking of, if you want help with that, this guy's the one to ask."

Remus chanced a glance at the barely-covered boy. "You? Really?"

"Should I be insulted?" Sirius asked, all raised eyebrows and smirking lips. Remus felt an odd sensation in his stomach – probably the extra dessert he'd had, he decided.

"I didn't mean it like that," he replied hastily. "But it just seems like you don't really pay attention..."

"Well, yeah," Sirius admitted unashamedly. "That would be why. The entire lesson is built around a concept that's made obvious from the start. How boring is that?"

James shook his head, laughing. Peter looked downright jealous.

"I think I'm the opposite," Remus mused. "The work and the problem solving I can handle, but I never really understand _why _I'm doing it. And that's just annoying."

"Perfect," James sniggered. "You can be study-buddies. It would be _adorable_."

Sirius just laughed in his bark-like way, lazily throwing a pillow at him.

* * *

But the next day, Sirius and Remus found themselves under the shade of the lakeside tree, studiously committed to their task. Or at least, Remus was.

"This," Sirius drawled, "is _boring_."

"Really?" asked Remus, somewhat riled. "I never would have guessed from the sighs, finger tapping and little _tut_s."

"I _don't_ tut," Sirius countered.

"Apparently you do."

"Pencil-chewer."

"Finger-tapper."

"You know, this conversation sounds incredibly dirty."

"I think that's just your mind."

"Or my co–"

"Get out of the gutter, Sirius."

"But it's so much fun down here."

"You're sick, you know that?"

"Join me in the gutter, Remus. You know you want to."

Their banter was interrupted by the sound of jeers, as a familiar redheaded girl dashed across the lawn, the near-crimson hair clashing brilliantly with the verdant backdrop of the lawn.

"What is it, I wonder?" Remus mused inquisitively, watching Lily's retreat. She had seemed so well-liked.

"Just..." Sirius paused. "She's what people call _nouveau riche._ Well, her parents aren't, but she has a trust fund... I don't really know the details. Point is, there are people who think that the other classes shouldn't have advantages like going to this school, because their families don't have the titles and history to back up their wealth. They want the old families to stay in control of the country's wealth, and everyone else to stay in the mud."

Remus wrinkled his nose in distaste. "That's awful."

"Yeah." Sirius let his head loll back against the aging birch, long lashes shuttering out the late afternoon sun. "You'll have to watch out for that, you know."

Remus regarded him thoughtfully. "My family used to be wealthy, I think. For a couple of generations, at least."

Sirius opened his eyes a crack. "Bad investment?"

Remus smiled sadly. "You could say that." Eager to change the topic, and rather curious besides, he added, "You seem oddly comfortable with all these class ideals."

"You'd understand if you met my parents," Sirius replied, almost _too _carelessly. "On another note: never meet my parents." He sighed, letting the lush blade of grass he'd been twisting between his fingers fall back to its family. "Come on. Dinner's in half an hour."

They swiftly shoved the books back into their bags, Remus scrambling for stray notes, and Sirius somehow managing to sweep them all in with one hand. He swung elegantly to his feet, while Remus staggered up, off-balance. Snickering, Sirius grasped his wrist, causing the other boy to flinch and fall back.

"Sorry; I must have grabbed you too hard," Sirius replied smoothly, the look of concern melting quickly away.

"Yeah, sorry." Remus forced an obligatory laugh, and they were soon traipsing back to the castle. Sirius seemed as at ease with the thought of someone recoiling from being touched as he did with the bigotry of his own family; or at the very least was worryingly capable of masking his true feelings on these matters. Remus, on the other hand, found himself quite uncomfortable with the entire situation, his wrist still tingling strangely where Sirius had gripped him.

H.A.T. was going to have a field day with this.

* * *

**a/n**  
Being post-school is _boring_. It's like purgatory with less babies.  
Ba-doom-_ssh_.


End file.
